


Hope

by lunarknightz



Series: Death of Supermanverse [2]
Category: Smallville, Superman (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Death of Superman, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-24
Updated: 2016-09-24
Packaged: 2018-08-16 23:23:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8121616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunarknightz/pseuds/lunarknightz
Summary: What has Clark left behind?





	

“Do you always spend your time hanging out on rooftops in Metropolis?” 

He shrugged. “And when was the last time you got a decent night’s sleep, Miss Sullivan?”

“I don’t need a lecture, especially from you.”

“I’m not here to lecture you. I’m here because I made a promise. To Clark.”

She sighed. “I’m fine. You can just go on about your business. Patrol from the rooftops, or whatever. Hoof it back to Gotham. I’m okay.”

“You’re a terrible liar.”

“I’m fine. Really.”

“I come all this way, and you don’t even invite me in for a cup of coffee?”

“If I do, will you shut the hell up and go home?”

“Sure.”

“Just take of the cowl and cape, okay? I don’t want to write any exclusive on Batman being in Metropolis right now. I’m tired, and I can’t stand having Perry on my ass about a story right now.”

 

***

_Bruce had thought Clark was nuts when he announced his engagement at the Watchtower. Being married? With their line of work? It was risky; and more than that, it was rather stupid. Having a family made you vulnerable, and it put that family at great risk. A true villain wouldn’t hesitate killing the family of a superhero. A true villain didn’t hesitate at killing anybody, he sadly reflected._

_He’d voiced these concerns to Clark, and Clark had laughed them off._

_“You don’t know Chloe.”_

_“If you’re so confident, Kent, introduce me.”_

_Bruce had been captivated by Chloe Sullivan. More than beautiful, Chloe was captivating. Her face was sweet, yet interesting, and her blue eyes and winning smile attracted, no, demanded attention. Bruce found himself enchanted. His attraction grew over dinner, as Chloe talked energetically about everything under the sun, from growing up in Smallville, to questioning Bruce on JLA battle tactics._

_He’d been flabbergasted that Chloe knew his identity, and had admonished Clark when Chloe excused herself to go to the restroom._

_“She knows my secret identity? You told her? Without my permission?”_

_Clark shrugged. “I didn’t tell her. Honest. She figured it out for herself.”_

_“She did?”_

_“I did.” Chloe said, sitting back down in her seat. “When Clark said that we’d be dining with Bruce Wayne, I had to wonder why one of the world’s richest men would suddenly want to eat with a simple reporter and his fiancé. Obviously there had to be some great motive- and who else would check me out but the JLA?” She took a sip of her water. “From there, it was pretty simple. Who in the JLA would have a secret identity? You’re not green around the gills, which ruled out the Martian Manhunter, and Clark’s always described the Flash as being, well, a little hyper-, which you certainly are not. And Wonder Woman, well, that was out of the question from the get go. And when you realize that both Bruce Wayne and Batman hail from Gotham City, well, elementary, my dear Watson.”_

_Bruce was silent for a moment. “I guess I should be grateful she’s on our side, right?”_

_“Darn’ tootin’.” Chloe said with a smile.  
_

 

***

The Chloe Sullivan that beside him was a pale shadow of the Chloe Sullivan he had first met. 

Her skin was almost frighteningly pale. Her blond hair, usually immaculately kept and styled, was a bit stringy. There were dark circles under her eyes, as if she hadn’t had a good night of sleep in a long time. 

Chloe was sipping coffee out of a Superman mug, grasping the cup as if she was holding on to it for dear life.

He’d never been good at conversation, dammit. That’s why he was a loner. Or tried to be- before he started gathering his own little family of crime fighters- Alfred, Dick, and Barbara.

“Good coffee.”

“It’s Starbucks.” She said softly. “My favorite blend. Clark always makes sure that there’s plenty, because he knows what I’m like without my coffee…” Chloe’s face fell as her words trailed off. “I can’t believe…he’s…”

“Chloe.” Bruce said softly. “It’s okay.” He put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “You can…”

“I can’t.” Chloe growled. “You don’t understand. I can’t go on. I can’t go on pretending, because it’s not okay. Clark is dead. He died in my arms, and every time I stop, every time I close my eyes, I see him dying.” She took a deep breath. “And the whole damn world’s grieving. Superman’s dead. So I should be crying because a hero’s dead, but I cry because I’ll never get to marry my fiancé. He’s just listed as missing right now, but sooner or later, the whole friggin staff of the Daily Planet will have to realize that Clark’s dead. Perry’s already talking about promoting Lois to be my partner, but I can’t…I just can’t.” She broke down in tears.

Bruce enfolded her in his arms, rubbing her back gently as she cried.

“Do you know how I became Batman?”

Chloe shook her head “No”. 

“I was just a kid, a kid when my world crumbled.

The thing I remember most? I got to stay up late. I never got to stay up late, and I thought it was so damn cool to be up and out past my bedtime.

They originally weren’t going to go. But I begged them. I loved those Zorro movies so much, and this was one of the originals. In an old-time movie house, with the cushy seats, you know? And fresh popped popcorn. And so they said yes. It was for charity, after all, and if I wanted to that much.

And it was great, and I was swashbuckling my way back to the car. And this guy steps out of the shadow. I couldn’t really see him, he was a shadow. But I could see his gun. 

And it went off. Twice. 

My mom was lying on the ground bleeding. Her priceless heirloom pearls scattered all over the pavement. My dad was bleeding right beside her. And they died. I was right there, and I couldn’t do a damn thing. That's why I became Batman. Because I promised that I’d avenge their deaths. So I trained, and I trained, and I became…but no matter how much I do…”

“People die, Bruce.” Chloe said, lifting her head from Bruce’s shoulder. “You couldn’t have saved him.”

“He wasn’t supposed to die. If only I would have responded faster, if only we had a better system to help out each other with personal crisis…if only the damn Joker wasn’t released from Arkham again..”

“I’ve been through every “if only” in the book. And I just can’t..”

“Clark was the best, Chloe. The best of everything.”

“And if he can’t make it.” She said with a sniffle, what chance do the rest of us have?”

“We don’t have a chance in hell.” Bruce said, not bothering to wipe the angry tears from his own eyes. 

“Clark wouldn’t say that. He’d say we have to have hope.”

“Hope?” Bruce said.

“Hope that things will get better. Hope that one day you’ll get up and be able to make it throughout the day without crying. Hope that one day the fight will be over, and that you could just…live.”

“Hope.” Bruce repeated. “Clark would have hope.”

 

***

“Chloe?” Lois called as she opened her cousin’s front door. Chloe gave her the spare key, and Chloe had been in such a funk lately, with Superman’s death and Clark’s disappearance…she needed quality time with her cousin, Lois was sure.

No answer.

Lois called again. “Chloe? I got Chunky Monkey. Here for bonding time. I would have been here earlier if I didn’t have to do a bunch of Turtle Girl episode shoots, which, thanks to you, I can’t do on my lunch break anymore…”

Lois stepped into the living room. 

The TV was still playing, softly, some news program. 

Chloe was asleep on the couch.

Wrapped up in the arms of a man. A man who was not Clark Kent, Chloe’s nerdy and annoying fiancé who was MIA. 

A man who looked not unlike People Magazine’s Sexiest Bachelor of the year.

“Holy Shit!” Lois exclaimed. That was People’s Magazine’s Sexiest Bachelor of the Year. 

Chloe was sleeping with, well not sleeping with in the Biblical sense, but was snoozing on the couch with Bruce Freaking Wayne!

Lois covered her mouth, thankful that her exclamation didn’t wake up Chloe and Mr. Sexy Bachelor Bruce. 

She quickly deposited the Chunky Monkey in the fridge. She scribbled a quick note on one of Chloe’s many notepads, and stuck it to the fridge with a Smallville High, “Class of ‘05” magnet. 

 

_Chloe-  
Way to go girl!  
Details, please..  
Love, Lo._

 

“Of all the friggin times to forget my camera.” Lois groaned as she locked Chloe’s apartment door behind her.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted March 2005.


End file.
